Perimenopause: A Time of Change and Reflection
By Saff Mitten
Perimenopause is often described in terms of fluctuating hormones and physical symptoms, but for many women, it’s also a deeply emotional and psychological turning point. In fact, this phase can prompt a profound re-evaluation of life: relationships, career paths, identity, and unmet needs may all come into sharper focus.
The Inner Landscape of Perimenopause
Perimenopause typically begins in a woman’s 40s, though it can start earlier. It’s marked by hormonal changes that may affect sleep, mood, concentration, and emotional regulation. For many women, the impact of these changes can be challenging - physically, emotionally, and relationally.
But beyond this, perimenopause can also have a deeper personal impact, where many women may find themselves asking:
- Is this the life I want to keep living?
- What do I need now, that I’ve been ignoring?
- How do I make space for myself in the midst of caring for others?
- Is there more to life than this?
This internal questioning isn’t a sign of crisis - it’s a sign of growth. Perimenopause can act as a catalyst for reclaiming agency, setting new boundaries, and exploring dreams or desires that may have been side-lined, or that you may not even have been consciously aware of before now.
Therapy as a Companion in Transition
Therapy can offer a compassionate, non-judgemental space to explore and understand these shifts. Whether you're navigating emotional upheaval, relationship changes, grief, or simply feeling lost in the fog of hormonal fluctuations, therapy can help you:
- Make sense of your experience - Naming what’s happening can be validating.
- Reconnect with your values - Clarify what matters most to you now.
- Process grief or loss - Whether it’s fertility, youth, or identity, therapy supports you in honouring what’s changing.
- Build emotional resilience - Learn tools to manage anxiety, mood swings, and self-doubt.
- Envision the next chapter - Begin to imagine, and move toward, a life that feels more aligned and fulfilling.
A Time to Reclaim, Not Just Endure
While perimenopause is often framed as something to “get through,” it can also be a time of powerful transformation. With the right support, this phase can become a doorway into deeper self-awareness, renewed purpose, and emotional healing.
If you’re in the midst of this transition and feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, or simply curious about what’s next, therapy can offer a supportive and safe space to explore and begin to move forward. If you would like to make time and space to do this, please get in touch.
If this article resonated with you…
I'm Saff Mitten, a specialist counsellor and psychotherapist supporting women through IVF, infertility and miscarriage.
My approach is shaped by my professional training and experience, together with the personal understanding I bring from my own journey through IVF, infertility and miscarriage.
Through both my therapeutic work and my writing, I explore the emotional and psychological impact of these experiences to help women make sense of feelings that can often be difficult to put into words and feel less alone.
If you're looking for support with infertility, IVF or miscarriage, you can follow the link below to learn more about how I support women through these experiences. I work online and support women across the UK.